Electric display device.



C. TREGONING.

ELECTRIC DISPLAY DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-7,1916.

Patented Feb. 13, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A TTOR/VEYS C. TREGONING.

ELECTRIC DISPLAY DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-l, 191s.

5 I 2i 1 w ,lilfi SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Feb. 13, 1917.

6 47 LiL'lll A TTOHNE CHARLES TREGONIN'G, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC DISPLAY DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 13, 1917.

Application filed August '7, 1916. Serial No. 113,596.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES Tnnoonme, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Electric Display Device, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to electric displaying devices and particularly to an improved construction for displaying lamps, andhas for an ob'ect the )rovision of a sim )lified strong and efiicient structure for moving lamps in a predetermined order for display purposes.

Another object in view is to provide a mechanism for operating anumber of lamps in apredetermined order whereby the motion of the lamps will be varied automatically from time to time for producing different effects.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a pair of rotating wheels with a support and drivinginechanism adapted to automatically rotate the wheelsin a variety of directions and also in two planes in a certain predetermined way as long as power is turned on.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through a complete device showing an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the driving mechanism disclosed in Fig. l, the same being on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the structure shown in Fig. 2, certain parts being shown in section for better illustrating the construction.

Fig. 4t is a horizontal vertical section through the upper part of a support and associated parts embodying certain features of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a section through Fig. 2 on line 5-5.

Fig. 6 is a detail fragmentary sectional view through Fig. 2 on line 66.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by numerals, 1 indicates a base for the housing 2, which housing has connected thereto in any suitable manner a globe 3, which globe may be formed from one piece or may be divided centrally as desired, the particular construction of the globe not forming any part of the present invention. Arranged within the casing or housing 2 and globe'3 is a display device disclosing an embodiment of the invention, the same being provided with a support a divided at the lower part so as to present uprights 5 and 6 merging into a. central or guiding neck 7. Extending upwardly from the neck 7 are tubular shafts 8 and 9 connected with the wheels 10 and 11 hereinafter fully described, which wheels are provided with spokes 12 having sockets connected to the outer ends in which the various lamps 13 are mounted. It will be observed that the spokes 12 are of different lengths and are spaced any desired distance apart so that when the wheels are rotated in difi erent directions or the same direction certain effects will be produced, especially when the globe 3 is used.

As shown in Fig. 4, each of the wheels is provided with a hub 14- to which the tubular spokes 12 are secured by any suitable means, as for instance, threads, whereby the electric cords 15 for each lamp may extend through the respective pokes in order to be connected up through suitable well known sockets to the lamps 13. The various cords or wires 15 tor the r pective spokes are connected to the Feed s 16 and 17 arranged in the tubular you nal 18. said feed wires receiving current 111 slip rings 19 and mounted on a suitable insulation cxteriorly ot the journal or shaft 18 and connected to the wires 16 and l? bv suitable insulating connecting wires. The slip rings 19 and 20 receive current througl'i suitable brushes 21 and held in a lua-u-krt 2 said brushes in turn receiving current, from the main teed wires 2t and 2 said main :lced wires extending outwardly through the tubular shaft 9. At the bottom oi tubular shaft 9 the wires 24. 2 id 25 extend to the slip rings 26 and 27 adapted to receive current trom suitable brushes 2S and 29, said brushes in turn receiving current from any suitable source, as for instance. the same source that supplies the motor 530.

The tuliuilar shaft 18 (Fig. l) is arranged to rotate in suitable bearings 31 and 32 carricd by a bracket 83 rigidlv secured to the upper end 01 the tubular shaft 9. said shait being prevented longitudinal movement bv a beveled gear 2t connected thereto adjacent one end and one of the hubs l-l: connected thereto at the opposite end. It will be observed that both hubs l t are connected to shaft 18 and rotate therewith. The beveled gear 34 rigidly secured to sha'lt 1S and meshes with a beveled pinion 35 rigidly secured to shaft 8, whereby when shafts 8 and 9 are rotating at the same speed and in the same direction the wheels 10 will rotate in a horizontal plane, whereas when the shafts i and 9 rotate in different directions or in the same direction at different speeds the wheels will rotate in a vertical plane and a horizontal plane simultaneously, though sometimes at "he same speed and sometimes at different speeds, whereby different effects are produced by different ways in which "the lamps 13 move. In all these movements, however, the lamps more in either one or two paths in a. continuous even way so that the filaments in the lamps will not be injured though apparently they are being shaken with great violence.

The tubular shafts 8 and 9, as shown in Fig. 3, extend downwardly through the neck 7 and the outer shaft is guided by the hearing structure 36 in the neck and the hearing structure 37 in a bracket 38 extending from the uprights 5 and (3. The uprights 5 and (S are also provided with a second bracket 39 for accommodating the sleeve {l0 and a hearing structure t1, said bearing structure guid; ing the lower end of shaft 9 while the upper end is guided by a hearing structure l2 (Fig. l). The bearing structure ll includes a cone which is rigidly secured to the shaft 9 and acts as a support therefor, the bearing structure 42 also assisting in supporting this shaft and associated parts. Shaft 8 is also supported by a cone or hearing structijire 37 and at its lower end has a wheel 4:8 rigidly secured thereto, while immediately below wheel 4-3 is a wheel 44.- rigidly secured to shaft 9. The outer surface of these wheels is flat and preferably smooth so as to engage the rubber tire 45 on the power or transmission connecting wheel 45. which power connecting wheel engages the power pulley 'l-T rigidly secured to the shaft lS of motor 30. By this structure whenever motor 30 is operated power will be transmitted through the wheel 46 to either wheel 4:: or 44-, according to the position of wheel 46.

\Vheel 46, as shown in Fig. 6, is loosely mounted between the stops 49 and 50 on shaft 51 whereby when said shaft is raised or lowered wheel 4L6 will be moved correspondingly. Shaft 51 is squared at 52 and eX ends through a. square opening in the frame 53 so as not to rotate but to readily slide up and down. The frame 53 has an extension 54 provided with a slot or opening 55 for accommodating the guide rod 56, and a second extension 57 for accommodating the squared guide rod 58, which squared guide rod is provided with a shaft or pin 59 extending therefrom, which shaft is surrounded by spring 60 hearing against extension 57 and an adjustable nut 61. By this structure spring 60 continually tends to force the frame 53 away from nut 61 and in such a direction as to force the wheel e6 against pulley L7 and the respective driving wheels l?) and ll, thus providing a quick contact between the parts.

In order that the wheel 46 may be moved 1u wardly and downwardly theshaft 51 is pivotally connected to the pitman 6-2 by a.

for gradually moving the same downwardly and then upwardly, this movement con-' tinuing as long as the motor is operating. While the wheel 46 is contacting with wheel 43 said wheel will be rotated and shaft 8 will also be rotated, while shaft 9 will remain stationary, which will result incausing the wheels carrying the lamps to rotate in a vertical plane in the same direction. This rotation will continue until. wheel 46 is equally on wheels 4L3 and 4 1-. whereupon both shafts S and 9 will rotate at equal speed, resulting in stopping the rotation of the wheels carrying the lamps in a vertical plane but causing these wheels to rotate in a horizontal plane. As soon as-most or all of the wheel 46 is engaged with wheel 44 the wheel 43 will stop and, consequently. the rotation of the lamp wheels in vertical )lane will stop while wheel 44 will rotate shaft 9 and cause the tubular shaft'l8 (Fig. 4) to rotate ina horizontal plane and the beveled pinion 84 to, in a certain sense, walk around the beveled pinion 35. This will result in giving the lamp wheels a horizontal rotation and a vertical rotation in the same direction. This vertical rotation in the same direction, however. will appear to the eye as though the two lamp wheels were rotating in the opposite direction by reason of the fact that one wheel is presented to the eye at one moment and the opposite wheel to the eye at the next moment. These movements are even and continuous so as not to injure the filaments of the lamps even though they may be formed with tungsten or other delicate structures. Though this is true the appearance to the eye is such that the lamps appear to be greatly agitated or shaken and appear to have their direction of movement changed quickly and abruptly. In addition to these results, as far as the display part is concerned, the additional result is secured of producing a pleasing appearance by making the bulbs of different colors so as to give short streaks of different colored lights arranged on different arcs according to the direction of movement of the lamps during the movement when they are seen.

In order to make the driving action of wheel 46 more positive brake shoes 68 and 69 are provided, said brake shoes being pivotally mounted on the pin 70 supported by brackets 71 and 72, said pin also supporting suitable sleeves for spacing the brake shoes properly. These brake shoes are arranged, for instance, as shown in Fig. 5, so as to continually contact with the respective wheels, or almost contact, as the case may be. Though these shoes are pivotally mounted they are held in contact with the wheels 43 and 44 by levers 73 and 74 pivotally mounted at 75 on the upright 6. The lower ends of the levers 73 and 74 are provided with contact rollers 77 and 78' adapted to engage the surface of cam wheels 7 9 and 80. These cam wheels are arranged identically but are positioned oppositely on shaft 65 and are rotated by said shaft. As shown in Fig. 3, the cam wheel 80 is provided with cutaway portions 81 whereby the wheel 79 cannot engage the cam wheel when the parts are arranged as shown in Fig. 3 until the shaft 65 has rotated sufliciently for the wheel 79 to come in contact with the roughened section 82, whereupon the brake shoe a l will be applied. The section 82 of the cam wheel 80 is provided with a number of notches or depressions 83 whereby the brake shoe 44: is released for an instant, thus causing a slight variation in the movement of the lamp wheels. The cam wheel 79 is made identical with cam wheel 80 but is positioned on the shaft 65 to operate the lever 73 when lever 7 has been released. To provide a proper manual adjustment, screws 84: and 85 are provided on the levers 73 and 7% so that a slight movement given by the cam wheels 79 and 80 will produce the desired result. It is of course understood that the movement of the brake shoes 43 and 44 is very small and also that but little power is necessary to stop these wheels after the wheel 46 has been disengaged therefrom. If a less expensive display be desired the electric lamps can be substituted with ornaments of any design or color, thereby producing a mechanical jugglcr.

Vhat I claim is:

1. A display device of the character described, comprising a plurality of wheels, a horizontally arranged support for said wheels, a rotatable supporting standard for said horizontal support, a tubular shaft surrounding said supporting standard, means for connecting said tubular shaft with said horizontal support whereby the horizontal support is rotated in such direction as to rotate said wheels in a vertical plane, a power or driving wheel for said tubular shaft and said rotatable support, a transmission wheel for transmitting power to said driving wheels, means for shifting said transmission wheel from one driving wheel to the other whereby the driving wheel will be alternately operated part of the time and part of the time will be operated simultaneously, and means for driving said transmission wheel.

2. A display device comprising a pair of rotatable wheels, a shaft rigidly connected to both of said wheels so that the wheels will rotate together in the same direction, a tu bular shaft, beveled gears connecting said tubular shaft with said first mentioned shaft so that when the tubular shaft is rotated said wheels will be rotated in a vertical plane, an inner tubular shaft arranged in the first mentioned shaft formed with a braclie at the upper end for supporting the first mentioned shaft, a pair of rotatable driving wheels connected to said tubular shafts whereby when the inner tubular shaft is rotated said wheels will be moved in a horizontal plane and when the outer tubular shaft is rotated said wheels will be operated in a vertical plane, power wheel arranged to frictionally engage said driving wheels, said power wheel being of less width than the driving wheels, means for gradually moving the power wheel transversely of said driving wheels so as to shift the power from one wheel to the other and thereby cause the tubular shaft to rotate at different times in r a certain sequence, means for checking the rotation of the particular driving wheel not engaged by the power wheel, and means for transmitting power to said power wheel.

3. A display device comprising a pair of wheels, lamps on said wheels, means for supplying said lamps with current, a horizontal shaft connected with said wheels, a

vertical support for said shaft, said support acting as an inner tubular shaft, an outer tubular shaft surrounding said. inner tubular shaft, beveled gears connecting said outer tubular shaft with said horizontal shaft, a driving wheel connected to said inner shaft, a driving wheel connected to said outer shaft, said driving wheels being arranged adjacent each other and with their outer faces parallel, a power wheel provided with a frictional sin-face, means for moving said power wheel transversely of said driving wheels whereby said driving wheels will be operated independently at different times and also together part of the time, means for holding said power wheel in contact with the respective driving wheels, and a power member for actuating said power wheel.

at. A display device comprising a pair of wheels carrying electric lamps, means for supplying said wheels with current, driving supporting means for said wheels, said driving supporting means including an inner tubular shaft and an outer tubular shaft, said outer tubular shaft normally acting to rotate said wheels in a vertical plane and said inner tubular shaft normally acting to rotate said wheels in a horizontal plane, a driving wheel connected to each of said shafts, said driving wheels being arranged adjacent each other, a transversely movable power wheel acting on said driving wheel's, said power wheel being of less width than either of said driving wheels whereby the driving wheels will be moved in a certain sequence according to the movement of the power wheel, a brake for stopping the movement of said driving wheels when the power wheel is disengaged therefrom, and means for actuating saidpower wheel and also the brakes.

5. A display device comprising a pair of rotatable lamp carrying wheels, means for -suppl. ing current to the lamps on said wheel s, a rotatable tubular shaft for supporting said wheels, an outer tubular shaft, means for connecting said outer tubular shaft with said wheels so as to rotate said wheels in a vertical plane, a pair of power wheels connected to said supporting shaft and said outer shaft respectively, means for driving at different times said power wheels so that said lamp wheels will be rotated in vertical and horizontal planes, a brake shoe for each of said driving wheels, levers for applying said brake shoes, a cam acting on each of said levers, said cams being formed with cutaway portions for releasing the levers, said cams being set so that the levers will be released when the driving wheels are being operated, and means for operating said cams in timed relationship to the movement of said driving wheels.

6. A display device comprising a pair of rotating lamp wheels having lamps thereon, means for supplying current to said lamps, means for rotating said wheels in vertical planes and also in a horizontal plane, said wheel, means acting on said frame for resiliently pressing said power wheel against Copies of this patent may be obtained for said driving wheels, and a power member for rotating said power wheel.

7. A display device comprising a plurality'of lamp wheels, means for supplying electrical current to the lamps on said wheels, means for supporting and rotating said wheels in two planes, said means inculding a pair of driving wheels, a power wheel, meansfor shifting said power wheel from one driving wheel to the other, a guide for guiding said power wheel, said guide being provided with a frame and supports for the frame, a resilient member acting on one of said supports of said frame for-r0 tating the frame in such direction as to cause the power wheel to press against said driving wheels, and means for rotating said power wheel regardless of the position thereof. 7

8. A display. device comprising a plurality of lamp wheels, means for supplying current to the lamps on said lamp wheels, means for rotating said lamp wheels in a phirality of planes, said means including an independent driving wheel for each plane in which the lamp is rotated, a brake for each of said driving wheels, and means for controlling the action of said brake, said means comprising a cam having a cutaway section whereby the brake will be inopera tive, and a notched section, the notches being sufliciently depressed for releasing said brake temporarily in order to give a slightly intermittent motion through the driving w reels.

9. A display device of the character described, comprising a wheel having an electric lamp thereon, a horizontally arranged support for said wheel, a rotatable supporting standard for said horizontal support, a tubular shaft surrounding said supporting standard, means for connecting said tubular shaft with said horizontal support whereby the horizontal support is rotated in such direction as to rotate said wheel in a vertical plane, a power or driving wheel for said tubular shaft, a power or driving wheel for said rotatable support, said power or driving wheels being arranged in juxtaposition, a transmission wheel for transmitting power to said driving wheels,'means for shifting said transmission wheel from one driving wheel to the other, and means for driving said transmission wheel.

CHARLES TREGONING.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

